Dowel pin and joint



(No Model.)

H. H. ROCKWELL. DOWEL PIN AND JOINT.

No. 569,235. Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. ROCKlVELL, OF MILlVAUKEE, VISCONSIN.

DOWEL PIN AND JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,235, dated October 13, 1896.

Application filed January 8, 1894. Serial No. l96,036. (N0 model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. ROCKWELL, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dowel Pins and Joints; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The main objects of my invention are in the construction of door and panel work to employ dowel in place of the ordinary mortise-and-tenon joints and to provide for this purpose a wooden dowel-pin which can be readily driven and will retain sufficient glue distributed over its surface to hold it in place.

It consists, essentially, of a wooden dowelpin having sharp longitudinal ribs adapted to embed themselves in the wood into which the pin is driven, shallow grooves between the ribs adapted to retain glue distributed around the pin approximately its entire length, and a longitudinal vent-groove of sufficient depth and size to allow the escape of air and surplus glue when the pin is driven home into the blind holes in the parts to be joined, and of certain peculiarities in the construction of the joint of which such a dowel-pin constitutes a part, hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dowelpin embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a dowel-pin,showing the method of joining parts in which the grain of one part runs transverse to that of the other part.

I am aware that it has been proposed to make doors and similar panelwork with dowel instead of the ordinary mortise-andtenon joints, but in order to produce strong durable joints a number of things are necessary: first, that the dowel-pins should fit snugly in the holes of both parts to be joined; second, that sufficient glue to hold them firmly in place shall be distributed over their surface when driven into such holes, and,

third, that a vent be provided for the escape of air and surplus glue, so that the pins may be driven home into the blind holes in the parts to be joined. Heretofore these several requisites have not been provided for as contemplated by my improvements.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a dowel-pin embodying my invention, preferably made of hard wood and having sharp longitudinal ribs adapted to embed themselves in the wood into which the pin is driven, shallow grooves or creases between the ribs adapted to hold glue, distributed around the pin approximately its entire length, and a deep longitudinal vent-groove a. The holes for the reception of the pin are bored, according to the texture of the wood and the direction of the grain, a little smaller than the largest diameter of the pin, and the sharp edges of the projecting ribs embed themselves in the wood into which it is driven; but a s'ufiicient quantity of glue is distributed and retained in the creases or shallow grooves between the ribs or beads to produce a strong glue joint throughout the entire length of the pin or the greater portion thereof. The deep vent-groove a in one side of the pin affords an exit for air and surplus glue from the blind holes into which the pin is driven, thus facilitating the driving of the pin and permitting it to be driven completely home.

It is obvious thatif the furrows or creases between the ribs or beads are made of sufficient size or depth to afford an exit for the air and surplus glue in driving the pin they would not serve the purpose for which they are designedto retain glue distributed over the surface of the pin throughout its length in contact with the contiguous or adjacent surface of the holes in which it is inserted. One or more vent-grooves of greater depth than the creases between the ribs are therefore indispensable in connection with the glue retaining creases or shallow grooves above described.

Referring to Fig. 3, B and 0 represent two parts to be joined, the grain of the part B running at right angles to the grain of part 0 and the holes in part B being bored lengthwise, while the holes in part 0 are bored crosswise, of the grain. I have found by experience that if the-holes for dowel-pins of the construction hereinbefore described are bored of the same size in the two parts a perfect strong joint will not be produced, but the pin, while it fits tightly in that part in which the hole is bored crosswise of the grain, will fit loosely in that part in which it is bored parallel with the grain. Therefore in the manufacture of doors and other similar articles I make the holes somewhat smaller in the rails or those parts, such as B, in which they are bored lengthwise of the grain and larger in the stiles or those parts, such as C, in which they are bored crosswise of the grain, the wood beingmore elastic and compressible crosswise of the grain. In this way the dowel-pin is held with equal firmness in both parts and a strong durable joint isproduced.

I claim 1. A wooden dowel-pin having longitudinal ribs forming edges adapted to embed themselves in the wood into which the pin is driven, shallow grooves or creases between the ribs adapted to retain glue distributed around the pin approximately its entire length, and a longitudinal vent-groove of greater depth than the glue-retaining creases or grooves between the ribs or beads, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A dowel-joint comprising two adjoining parts, one having a hole bored crosswise of its grain and the other a smaller hole lengthwise of its grain, and a dowel-pin of uniform diameter from end to end driven into the holes in and joining said parts, and having longitudinal ribs forming edges adapted to embed themselves in the wood into which the pin is driven, shallow glueretaining creases or grooves between said ribs, and a longitudinal vent-groove, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. ROCKWELL.

Vitnesses OHAs. L. Goss, THOMAS F. HAYDEN. 

